


Special Wave

by supershadsy



Series: Limit Breaker [11]
Category: Super Smash Brothers
Genre: F/F, Hijinks & Shenanigans, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-07
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-13 07:41:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16888413
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supershadsy/pseuds/supershadsy
Summary: It's the dawn of a new wave in the Smash Mansion, and there is some unease among the veterans. Who will disappear? Who will return?





	1. Phase 1

**Author's Note:**

> SMASH ULTIMATE BABEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Samus?"

Sitting on a bench in the elevated garden, Samus jerked her head up. Marigolds and violets were all in bloom, and Captain Falcon was watering some nearest to her with a garden hose. "You look troubled," he said. "What's up?"

"I'm fine," she replied with a sigh, then sat back on the bench and crossed her legs. "I'm just waiting for Lucina to meet up here."

"I never see you out here," he continued. He gave an even shower of water to a patch of roses nearly behind him. "Not to meditate, not for a romantic getaway…something's up." He released pressure on the handle, only to swing the nozzle toward her. "C'mon, we were some of the first. If you don't tell me, I'll spray you."

Samus shook her head and snorted. "Fine, Cap." She tilted her head to the sky, lavender with clouds at the beginning of dusk. "Something's going to happen soon. Something big."

Captain Falcon whistled as he sighed himself. "I think you're right," he replied. "We haven't had any major tournaments, and no one's seen Mario in a while. That usually means something."

"Yeah. A new era. A new wave."

"This'll be number 5, right?"

"Yup. Wonder what they'll change up this time."

Captain Falcon eyed her. "Or who they'll change up."

They both grew quiet.  _ It happens in an instant, _ she thought, watching Captain Falcon kink the hose and squeeze the handle until the nozzle ran dry.  _ One day, you just wake up, and people are gone. It doesn't matter how well they did, or how important they were, or how many friends they make…they just disappear. _

_ I never really…thought much about it before. I never noticed until it was already over. But now… _ "It just feels ominous." Samus muttered. "There's something in the air."

Captain Falcon unscrewed the nozzle and tucked it in his back pocket. "You're not afraid, are you?"

She scoffed. "No, of course not," she replied. "I don't have time for that."

He smirked. He positioned his thumb over the hose and unkinked it. A cascade of water showered in front of him, and the sun caught it to make a rainbow reflected on the grass. "That sounds more like you," he said. "We'll take it as it comes, like we always do."

_ Like we always do. _ Samus smiled to herself. "Right."  _ I never want to take my presence here for granted, but I  _ have _ always been here. I just can't shake this feeling of dread. Maybe…it's for nothing. _

Behind them both, the glass doors back into the mansion clattered, and a breathless Lucina rushed out. "Oh gosh, I'm late! I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, huffing and puffing on her way over to Samus.

"Lucina!" Captain Falcon was still spraying the hose, and the water rainbow to go with it. "So it _is_ a date!"

"Hi, Captain!" Lucina greeted, pink in her cheeks from both exhaustion and embarrassment.

Samus rolled her eyes. "Not really," she replied. Still, as Lucina sat beside her, she pecked her cheek with a kiss. "Catch your breath, hon. I wanted to just take a walk."

"Okay…!"

Lucina closed her eyes and evenly breathed in and out. While Samus was in a sports bra and sweatpants, Lucina wore her entire knight's garb, and her dark hair was sticking to the sides of her face.  _ Don't push yourself, _ Samus thought, but didn't say, a small smile gracing her lips.  _ Would they take her away? I don't even want to think about it. But, I should be prepared. _

Her eyes fluttered open, and Samus made a point to memorize every point she could find in them. "Ready?" Lucina asked. "S-Sam…?"

_ I love you, beautiful, _ she thought. "Yeah," she said, and took her hand. "Hey, have you seen Link?"

"No," she replied as they stood up. Then, she squinted and pursed her lips. "Er, well, maybe? Just passing through…"

* * *

 

Roy chugged another shot of espresso and slammed it on the table, hand shaking. "Oh, something's  _ definitely _ gonna happen tonight," he claimed, swishing his head back and forth. "Something's gonna happen, and I am  _ not _ gonna be taken away!"

Link pushed all of the empty shot cups away from him, his forehead crinkled in worry as he shook his head. Standing at the foot of the table, Cloud crossed his arms. "So…what's a caffeine overdose going to do for you?" he asked plainly.

"I'm pulling an all-nighter," Roy growled. Cloud could spot a vein pulsing in the side of his neck. "Dude, I'm telling you, I've been through this before. It ain't happening again."

"I hate to break it to you, but whatever…this is?" Cloud gestured to the entire table. "It's probably not gonna work."

Link nodded emphatically in agreement, and began to sign.  _ "I get what you're feeling, but you're just going to hurt yourself." _

Roy jumped up from the couch, nearly knocking over the table and springing a half a foot in the air. "Hey, hey! You know this…this feeling!" he exclaimed, vainly attempting to sign, but his hands twitched and cramped up so badly that it only turned into vague gestures. "Crap, my hands don't work--but dude! Dude!"

"Dude!" Link whispered back.

"Dude…" Cloud sighed.

Roy suddenly sat back, eyes wide. "Whoa," he uttered. "Do you think…that…oh man, I need a home-run bat right about now--"

"I don't think so," Cloud said.

Kirby hopped over, carrying another espresso shot on his head, but on his path, Link scooped him up despite his squeaking protests. He shook his head emphatically.

"What! No! Let the little pink dude give me my coffee!" Roy yelped, uselessly reaching out while not actually moving anywhere. "At this rate I'm gonna crash at…like…" He searched around for a clock until he found one on the wall above him. "2 AM! That's barely witching hour!  _ That's when they get you!" _

"Hoo boy," Cloud sighed, pinching the nerve between his eyes. He kept one on Link, who was snickering with Kirby in his arms, but still had worry creases in his forehead.  _ Roy might be off the handle, but he's got to be serious about that "feeling". Link's got that look about him too. No tournaments, it's basically some kind of recess. So what, though? We've had lulls before… _

Cloud bit the inside of his cheek.  _ Maybe I just haven't been here long enough to know what that's like. And Roy got spirited away from this house too, or something…is it going to happen again? _

Marth strolling by interrupted his thoughts. "Oh, Gods, what are you doing?" he scoffed, observing the scene, particularly Roy. "You look like Pikachu hit you with a Thunderbolt."

Roy raised a finger up and crept closer and closer to Marth. "Maybe so," he said. "But."

Kirby fussed more in Link's arms, and he finally let him bounce out of his arms. However, Link made sure to take the espresso shot for himself. Cloud watched as Link drank the shot, then winced immediately, and smiled to himself.  _ Too bitter. That's like something I'd like. _

Marth leaned back as Roy got closer. "When Master Hand comes around, trying to pluck you out of your bed like some kinda reverse Santa--" Roy continued.

"Who is 'Santa'?" Marth whispered incredulously. "Who have you been hanging around with?"

"I'm gonna be around to stop it!" Roy nearly jabbed Marth in the face with his finger.

"Do you really think that's going to happen?" Marth asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, I don't…" Cloud started, but faltered when he felt Link brush his side. "…quite…quite get it."

"There's something in the air, man," Roy hissed. "Plus, we haven't seen the big M around in ages, and that's a sure sign. The next wave's coming."

Instead of further ridiculing his friend, Marth twisted his mouth and looked away. "I cannot…say you are wrong," he said. "I admit I have felt a tension in the air."

Link nodded. He slipped one hand into Cloud's while he used the other to spell sign deliberately.  _ "We will just have to see." _

Marth and Roy stared to follow his motions, but both of them understood. "You're right." Marth responded aloud. "What is there to do?"

"Stay up to find out," Roy answered.

"I'm locking you out of our room," Marth said, completely deadpan. "You can pull your all-nighter somewhere else."

"Aww, come on! I thought you were a cool lord!" Roy whined. "You're such a buzzkill!"

Marth chose to ignore him and turned to Link and Cloud. "Perhaps they will finally find something useful to do with that dilapidated assist room," he suggested. "That whole entire hallway has been closed off."

"Really?" Cloud said, cocking his head. "Huh…"

Marth's voice dipped as he raised an eyebrow. "You really don't sense it, do you?"

Cloud shook his head. "Guess I'm still the new guy."

With a sigh, Marth's eyes flickered between Link and Cloud, then he turned on one heel. "Well, I'm off to bed," he said. "I pray we are all here in the morning."

"You don't have to pray, I'm gonna be here!" Roy shouted after him, then his shoulders drooped. "Is he really locking me out?" Suddenly, he patted himself down. "Crap, where are my keys?"

The last thing the group heard before Marth vanished around the corner was a faint jingling sound. "Oh, you're a real pal!" Roy groaned, shaking his head viciously. When he stopped, his eyes were fixated on Link. "Hey, wanna have a sle--"

Cloud wondered why Roy stopped his sentence so short, then glanced over to Link's grimacing face. _Sometimes, he doesn't even have to speak or sign._ _ His face says it all. So expressive… _

Warmth spread to Cloud's face, threatening to push a smirk on his lips, and Roy's over-caffeinated reflexes caught it immediately. "Oh, oh sure, you guys are gonna get all cuddly, right? Just in case it's the last day ever?" he said with a pout.

"Er, well," Cloud stuttered, his turtleneck now stiflingly hot. "We…were probably going to do that anyway."

Link snorted. "Uh-huh," Roy huffed, crossing his arms so tight that his pecs made cleavage pop up from his tank top. "Well, maybe…maybe I…uh…"

Cloud and Link exchanged a look, eyebrows raised. Then, Link let go of Cloud's hand as Roy looked away, and tapped him on the shoulder. When he looked up, he signed.  _ "Do you want a hug?" _ he asked.

Roy's pout grew, and he nodded fiercely before grabbing Link in a bear hug that made him choke. "Dude, it's just…stressful times, you know?" Roy said, strained. "Like, I don't wanna be the guy kicked out again…if I've gotta see my old man dying in a bed again, I don't know if I can take it…"

Link hushed him, patting his back.  _ Roy's a little ridiculous, _ Cloud mused, hiding a yawn behind his hand.  _ But, he means well. Compared to the other guys that are from "his world"--Marth, Lucina, Ike, Robin, Corrin…he seems really different. He could almost fit in the slums of Midgar. Did he pick up all that slang here? _

Link whispered something in Roy's ear, causing his ears to burn. "All right, all right," Roy muttered. "It's fine: I'm cool. I'm fine."

He patted him on the back a couple times, then withdrew, swaggering a little. His energy came back to him quickly, as he started to bounce on his toes. "I guess I'll find someplace else to go," he sighed. "Hey, I haven't explored that hall in a while. Later!"

With that, Roy dashed off, leaving Cloud and Link alone in the foyer. Cloud shook his head. "Jeez," was all he could say.

Link raised his eyebrows, chuckling quietly to himself as he shuffled toward Cloud, eyes following Roy's shadow. He grasped for Cloud's hands without looking at him, and Cloud took them easily.

"He…I know you guys were roommates," Cloud said, "but he…uh, well…"

As if to read his mind, Link nodded exaggeratedly, and when he let Cloud's hands go to sign, his movements were equally grandiose. _ "Oh, yeah. He definitely had a crush on me. He probably still does." _

Cloud snorted. "Gods…I think all those espresso shots were making him loopier than usual, though…"

He trailed off as Link grasped his hands again, drawing close. "Hey…are you okay?" Cloud asked quietly, his lips drifting toward his forehead. "What is it?"

Link glanced around, then entwined their fingers with conviction and pulled Cloud down the dormitory hall, leading the way until they reached their door. When they arrived, he barely let Cloud take his boots off before dragging him to the bed, plopping down and sitting close by his side.

Cloud's heart pounded, anxiety spidering out from it. "Link," he murmured, focusing on his breathing. "Really, what…what's the matter? It's…"

Link angled himself toward Cloud, and stared down at their hands while he finger-spelled into Cloud's palm, deliberate and slow:  _ "I'm nervous." _

With a slow nod, Cloud curled his fingers around Link's hand. "Yeah, I…I can tell," he whispered, moonlight flooding the small dorm room. "They really…send people away then, huh? I mean, Samus told me all about it, when she was telling me about your story…"

Link nodded, then cleared his throat, voice barely audible. "That's…that's why…Roy's so anxious too. He did get taken away."

"And he doesn't want to again…"

"Mmhm."

Link fidgeted, wringing his hands with Cloud's, until Cloud managed to stabilize them by interlocking their fingers together. "We're gonna be okay," Cloud assured. "I'm going to stay…right here with you."

With a loud sigh, Link ripped his hands away to sign.  _ "Promise?" _

"I promise," Cloud signed back, speaking the sentiment as well.

Link's lip quivered, eventually curling into a shaking smile. Cloud returned it, squeezing his hands. "Yeah, that's it," he said. _A smile is good. A smile I've always been fond of…_ "I'll…I've always got your back, from here on out. Like always."

With a small, affirmative vocalization, Link lunged forward and hugged Cloud tight enough to knock the wind out of him. Wheezing, they fell back onto the bed, and quickly nestled into each other's arms.  _ And even if today's the last day we get to be together…we'll make the most of it. _

_ Link… _

He nestled himself into Cloud's chest, allowing Cloud to bury his face into his soft, sandy hair. He kissed it gently, inhaling deep. "I love you," he muttered.

"Love you, too," Link said into his chest. "Love you…always."

"Always."

Drowsiness began to set into Cloud's shoulders, and he fell asleep to the warmth of Link's body against his own, and the scent of his lover's hair.


	2. Phase 2

At 7:30 in the morning, Cloud stirred.

There was an awful ache in his neck that pestered him more than the morning sun, although when he tried to adjust, he found himself stifled by the weight beside him. Link's arms were wrapped around him, legs tangled between his, and he was snoring softly. _ I'm glad you're comfy, _ Cloud thought.  _ Hard to believe we even fell asleep like this. _

Despite his discomfort, he found one free arm, and used that hand to stroke Link's hair. He spread his fingers through, gently closing them as he reached the back of his head. He expected to close his fingers completely together as his hair ended, but for some reason, it kept going, past the nape of his neck and through his shoulders.  _ Was his hair always this long? _ He twirled the end of it between his fingers, still soft and tawny blond.  _ How did it grow like that overnight? _

He breathed in deep and buried his lips into his hair again.  _ Doesn't really matter. He's still here. We're still here. I'm surprised he hasn't woken up already. _ Cloud's eyes flashed open.  _ I wonder if he stayed up worrying? _

"Hmm…" Link hummed in his sleep. He shifted to get more comfortable, adjusting his legs. As he did so, his knee jerked too close to Cloud's crotch, and Cloud gasped in anticipation.

Blearily, Link glanced up. "Huh?" he grunted, eyes barely open.

_ Close call. _ Cloud forced his body to relax. "Nothin'," he murmured. "I'm good." He patted Link's head then glanced out the window, bathed in the morning sun. "It's still early. You can keep on--"

Before he could finish, Link clambered on top of Cloud properly and hugged him, lips close to his ear. "You're still here," he whispered.

"Yeah, yeah," Cloud replied, struggling to breathe under his entire body weight. "'Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Link lifted himself up to stick his tongue out at him, and now Cloud good get a better look at how long Link's hair actually was. "Hey, has your hair always been that long?" Cloud said. "I swear it's longer..."

Holding himself up with one arm, he reached to the back of his neck. Confusion muddling his face, he sat up on top of Cloud and pulled his hair over his shoulders. He glanced back and forth, frowning curiously with raised eyebrows. "Huh," he said. "That  _ is  _ new."

"Yup," Cloud said with a smirk. "So there's the big scary change you were looking for."

Link only shook his head, then hopped off Cloud, pulling his hair back in a ponytail while wandering to the dresser. To no surprise, there was a hair tie lying on top of it, and he properly tied his new long hair behind him. As soon as his hands were free, he began to sign.  _ "I had a really vivid dream," _ he signed.

"Yeah?" Cloud asked, then signed as he spoke. "What was it about?"

He bit his lip, then proceeded to sign quickly, cramming as much detail in as possible. Cloud found himself trying to read his lips as well as his hands to catch everything.

_ "I woke up in this cave, and when I stepped out, I was in this huge…world. I didn't have anything--no sword, no arrows--not even any clothes. I had to find everything, fight with sticks…and there were monsters all around. I recognized them? But not really. They were from another time. Then I met an old man, who turned out to be the King of Hyrule…and I just traveled around, and they were talking about a calamity, and Zelda, and the kingdom, and Ganon, and--" _

"Whoa, whoa," Cloud interrupted, waving his hand. "That's a lot."

_ "It was!" _ Link exclaimed, silently, although with a little jump to emphasize.

Cloud chuckled to himself, then yawned, staring down into his lap as he sat up. "Do you think that's part of your past?" he asked. "Y'know, some of the things you've forgotten?"

Link twisted his mouth, then shook his head. He elaborated a little with a gesture across his neck, then pointed to himself.  _ Not "me", _ Cloud interpreted, while Link proceeded to rummage through the dresser drawers.  _ Not his past specifically. _

_ When people talk about pasts, they talk about timelines a lot. About how there are a million different timelines and universes, and we're all plucked from a bunch of different ones. _ Cloud scratched the back of his head. T _ hat's why when people happen to go back, it's never the same. It's weird. _

_ ("…We're friends, right?") _

_ I know…I don't remember everything. My memories are a mess, and I think they were a mess even before I got here. I wonder… _

_ …if I'm better off forgetting. _

_ ("Cloud!") _

"Ah!"

Link exclaimed, breaking Cloud's train of thought. He held a blue shirt in front of him, different than his usual green garb. There was white ornamentation along the collar and sleeves, and Link soon dug through to pull out different belts and pants from the bottomless dresser. Giddy with excitement, he tossed off his sleeping shirt and began dressing with enthusiastic fervor.

"New…uh, new outfit?" Cloud asked, watching with a lazy smirk on his face.

Link's new shirt was on crooked, and his pants unbuttoned, but he jumped around and modeled, proud as a peacock. He puffed out his chest and slapped at it with an emphatic nod of his head.

"Looks good," Cloud chuckled, swinging his legs around and getting out of bed. He stepped up to adjust Link's collar, smile continuing to widen as Link beamed back at him. "Wh-what?"

He threw his arms around Cloud and hugged him tight, swinging him in place. “Cloud!” he whispered, his voice breaking in his excitement. 

For a moment, all Cloud could do was stand there. “A-ah,” he uttered, taking in the warm sensation of Link pressed against his chest, head buried in his shoulder. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around him, breathing in deep.  _ You’re so sweet, you’re so, so sweet. I can’t get over you.  _

Link lifted his head as Cloud was going to dip his into his shoulder, and it stopped the descent. Link studied his face, deep blue eyes scrutinizing every inch of it, then he reached out and ran a thumb across Cloud’s cheek. 

Cloud was crying.

* * *

 

“…Hey, Snake. How’ve you been?” 

“All right. You got pulled back to this joint too?” 

“Yeah, flew in last night. To tell you the truth, I was  _ glad  _ to get the invite this time around.” 

“That so?” 

“It’s just not the same, once you’ve been here--no matter how much time passes.” 

“How long’s it been? Five years?”

“More like ten. You want a drink?”

“You got coffee?”

“Lemme see…” 

Roy kept his eyes shut, even though his back protested, aching to move.  _ I don’t remember half of last night,  _ he thought groggily.  _ All I know is I’ve got such a wicked headache, and I drank a lot of coffee.  _

The clinking of glass resonated directly to his left. “Thanks,” a gravelly voice said. “I get what you mean. There was so much crap going on back at my place. I’d just settled into retirement with Hal when I got the invite.” 

“Retirement?” replied a voice somewhere in front of Roy. “You’re not old enough to retire.”

“Oh, I  _ felt  _ it. Looked it, too. They were calling me 'Old Snake'.” 

"No kidding."

There was a pause, and a slurping sound. “Seems like I hit the fountain of youth when I crossed over, though.”

“Good for you,” the voice answered dubiously. “Hey, who’s this kid? He was here when I got here.”

Roy felt a prodding on his shoulder. “Hey, you,” the gravelly voice said. “Wake up.” 

At last, Roy lifted his head, a heavy effort, and squinted his eyes open. He was at a dimly lit bar of some sort, with rows of bottles decked from floor to ceiling. On the back bar counter was a single coffee machine percolating by its lonesome. Roy held his stomach. “Oh, shit,” he groaned. “I’m gonna barf if I drink another coffee.” 

“Hey, watch your fucking language,” said the current barista, a wolf with an eyepatch. He flashed a grin, full of sharp teeth, before turning back. “You’re what, fifteen? I’ll pour you a shot. Nothing like that first thing in the morning.”

“What…?” Roy said slowly, scooting up closer to the bar. “Dude, where am I? Who are you guys?” 

“So you’re new too, huh?” said the voice beside him. He was a man in a slim fitting military suit, with a bandana around his head. “Nice bandana.” 

“Thanks,” Roy replied, touching his own slowly. “But wait, no, I’m not new. We’re still in the mansion? Y’know, with…with everybody?” Roy spun on the barstool to point at the wolf. “You  _ do _ look kinda like Fox.”

He didn’t turn around, but his ear flicked in acknowledgement. “Same world,” he replied. “I’m Wolf. Him, Falco…we go way back.” 

“Dude, but I’ve been here. Like, for a while.” Roy scowled down at the table. “Oh wait, but I left, then I came back. How much time went by while I was gone? You guys weren’t here.” 

“Yeah, we had to leave too,” his barside companion replied. “That one morning, I woke up back in Alaska, and that was it. Show's over.”

_ Alaska?  _ Roy rubbed his head, shortly before a steaming cup of hot chocolate was placed in front of him. It wasn't mixed very well, as powdered chocolate floated to the top of the mug. "That's the last cocoa packet in the place, so you'd better appreciate it," Wolf said, tossing the empty packet over his shoulder.  _ So, these are some new guys…new old guys. Okay… _

He looked around behind him. There were small tables set up, as well as a pool table and a dart board on the other side of the room. They weren’t the only folks in the bar, either--at the far end was Metaknight, decidedly minding his own business over his own cup of coffee. 

Conversation went on without Roy. “Need a refill, Snake?” Wolf asked. 

Snake shook his head. “This’ll get me going,” he replied. “Y’know, I never pegged you as a barista.” 

Wolf rolled his eyes, spinning a towel around at his side. “I’m  _ not  _ one. That percolator's all we got.” He jerked his head back toward it. It was beginning to smell hot and burnt. “This is supposed to be a  _ real  _ bar, and the fancy-shmancy café is at the other end.”

“Huh,” Snake grunted. “So why even have this place open?”

“Beats me. That other place ain’t open yet. It’s where the old assist trophy room was. Bet you anything some goody-goody’s gonna be running it.”

Wolf snapped the towel like a cracking whip, jumping Roy enough for him to rattle the bar. “Should be interesting,” Wolf said, bemused. “I’ll take care of the shadier guys after dark.”

“Shadier folks?” Snake repeated. “Hm. Like yourself?” 

“Precisely.” 

Roy rubbed his eyes hard enough to see stars behind them.  _ So this is going to be a villain hotspot, huh? Kirby makes you shortcake in the cafeteria, Wolf pours you a drink after hours. Huh. And they’re doing something with the assist room? Another café? They’re really making this place like home-- _

He stopped rubbing his eyes to slap his hands on the table. “Wait.”

“What?” Wolf asked.

Roy jerked his head up. “You guys are  _ back.” _

“Yeah. Are you still waking up, kid?”

“The invitations said ‘everyone is here’,” Snake added, pulling a folded up envelope out from his suit. He unfolded it, revealing the signature logo of the Smash ball on the top. “So—“

“Everyone?  _ Everyone?”  _ Roy slammed his hands down on the table with more force, voice reaching louder with every repeat.  _ “EVERYONE!?” _

“We heard you the first time! Yes!” Wolf stuck a finger in his ear. “Dunno where they’re gonna  _ put  _ everyone, but--”

“Aw,  _ snap!”  _ Roy threw himself out of the bar stool, nearly tripping over it as it swiveled around. His head continued to pound as he regained his balance, feet slipping and sliding as he backed toward the door. “That means Link’s still here, and Cloud’s still here, and Marth, and Lucy, and Sam and Shulk and Pikachu and  _ oh man do you think Pichu’s back--”  _

“Could you take it down a notch?” Snake interrupted. “Hrrgh, I’m trying to enjoy my burnt coffee.” 

Wolf bared a fang. “It’s all I got,  _ bud.”  _

“Sunny doesn’t do much better, so I’m used to it.” 

Roy had no more time for the fighters at the bar. Still barely centered, he scurried out the door, momentum propelling him forward until he slammed into the hallway’s other wall. From there, he sprinted down toward the light at the other end.  _ That’s awesome! That’s so awesome!  _ he thought, breathless even in his own mind.  _ I didn’t get taken! No one did!  _

“Everyone’s here, everyone’s here,” he whispered to himself, giddy and skipping. “Everyone’s here, every-- _ aw, jeez--!”  _

A pink hoodie intercepted him, and he barely avoided completely body checking Little Mac, who had innocently wandered into the middle of the runway. “Hey, man…!” Little Mac said, cradling what appeared to be a half eaten breakfast burrito. “What’s got you so fired up?” 

“Sorry, nothin’--!” Roy patted him on the shoulder, bouncing on his toes. Little Mac’s hair had a distinct, bedhead air to it, and Roy could only imagine his looked the same, if not worse. “It’s just that  _ everyone’s here and no one’s sent home!”  _

Mac snorted at his enthusiasm. “Th-that’s cool,” he replied, as good-natured as someone could while encountering such energy at an early hour. 

Nonetheless, Roy fist pumped the air, then eyed the burrito he was nursing. “Say, where’d you get that?” 

“C-cafeteria? Actually, I…” Mac shuffled his feet. “Well, I stock up on ‘em and stick them in my freezer, then heat them up when I need them so I can get an early start.” He reached into his sweatshirt pocket and pulled out another one, still completely wrapped in aluminum foil. “Want one?” 

"Oh, hell yeah!" Roy snatched it out of his hand, then wrapped his arm around his shoulder and squeezed it while thrusting the burrito into the air. "Pack it in, boys, 'cause _EVERYBODY'S HERE!"_


	3. Phase 3

Samus stirred to the sound of the bathroom door shutting, followed by her name. “Samus?” called a shaky voice.

“Zelda?” she grunted in reply, sitting up and stretching.  _ I thought I was never going to sleep last night. There’s still that electricity in the air, some kind of sense of unease but… _

_ …it feels less like “dread”.  _

“I have a problem,” Zelda replied. 

“What’s up?” 

“It’s…my hair.”

“What about it?”

“My hair is  _ blonde.”  _

Samus pulled her own, bright blonde hair into a tight ponytail. “Yeah? So?” 

_ “My hair is blonde,”  _ Zelda repeated. “I am  _ not _ a blonde!” 

“What’s so bad about being blonde?” Samus remarked. She stood up and meandered to the bathroom door, folding her arms under her chest. “Blondes not only do it better, but they  _ also _ have more fun.” 

“B-but!” she exclaimed, audibly huffing. “This isn’t  _ me!  _ Oh, no…” 

Despite her obvious distress, Samus pulled her lip in to disguise a smirk. “Well, why don’t you come out and let me see?” she coaxed. “It really can’t be that bad.” 

Slowly, the bathroom door creaked open, and Zelda peaked out, still in her underwear. Instead of her cool toned brunette hair, it was replaced with a warm blonde, a warmer tone than Samus’. It was silky smooth and pin-straight on her shoulders, and the comb filled with yellow strands indicated that it was made to behave. “See?” Zelda said, pointing with a frown. “And it came undone from my braids during the night, so it was a  _ mess  _ to tame.” 

Samus tilted her head. “It’s really not that bad, hon.” 

She whipped her head back to the mirror. “But…” she insisted, but her tone was defeated, and her shoulders slumped as she pulled at another strand. “Oh…” Then, Zelda shook her head and shuffled out. “Right. I’m making a fuss over nothing.” 

“I hate to say it, but you kinda are,” Samus agreed, stretching her arms above her head. She strolled to her dresser and grabbed her familiar, neon blue catsuit from the top drawer. “Now, let’s get dressed, I can hear a commotion out there al--”

_ “Ack!”  _ Zelda exclaimed suddenly, at her closet. “Not this too!” 

“What  _ now?”  _ Samus sucked in her gut as she shimmied into the skin-tight material. “I wanna see if Lucina made it through the night…” 

“My dress! It’s pink!” Zelda pinched the nerve between her eyes. “I know, I know, it’s not a big deal, but…”

With a heavy sigh, as the suit was up to her chest, Samus stripped it off so it hung at her thighs, and grabbed another one out of the dresser. She held it up for Zelda to see--in the current light, it was a bright pink. “How about this. We’ll match?” she asked.

Zelda giggled. “Okay, okay,” she replied, with a tinge of resignation. “I’ll be just a minute.”

* * *

 

When Cloud and Link arrived in the foyer, it was brimming with activity and people milling about. “Whoa, it sure is a party out here,” Cloud commented with a nod. As he took in the volume of the bodies, big and small, his head began to swim.  _ Oh, boy.  _

Link took his arm and nodded affirmatively, gestured to him with a finger, then curled it into a fist and pumped it down to his side.  _ You’ve got this.  _

“Sure,” Cloud muttered. 

The first fighter that greeted them was someone new—a yellow dog in a neat sweater vest and skirt, whirling around with the sound of jingling bells following her. She nearly ran right into Cloud’s leg. “Oh! Sorry, excuse me! Hello!” she exclaimed.

“H-hi,” Cloud greeted. “You’re…new.”

Link waved cheerfully, and the newcomer grinned. “Hi! I’m Isabelle! And you’re Cloud and Link!”

Link nodded emphatically, a small giggle in the back of his throat. “Well, that saves a little time!” she said, whipping out a clipboard. “I know I’m a newcomer myself, but I’ve taken it upon myself to be Mr. Mario’s personal secretary.”

“O-oh, that’s…ambitious,” Cloud remarked, glancing at Link. 

“I was a personal assistant for the mayor of an entire town, this should be easy!” she exclaimed, saluting with her pencil. “In fact, I thought for sure I saw someone who looked suspiciously like them around here…”

She frowned, looking around, but then quickly shook her head, jingling again. “Oh well, I’m sure I’ll find out! Now, let’s see, I’ve got you two, now I need to find Shulk, and DK…oh! And I’ve got to organize the grand meeting, too—“

Link waved his hand and signed to her.  _ “You’ve got a full plate!” _

She blinked, then began to stutter, fidgeting with her notebook. “Oh, um, I’m sorry! I already knew you were mute, but I didn’t learn sign language in time! Please—“

“It’s okay,” Cloud interrupted. “He just said you’ve got a lot going on.”

She sighed deeply. “I do. But!” She pulled herself up as tall as she could, puffing out her chest. “I can do it! I just need a lot of coffee, and determination!”

Isabelle went to pose, and a handful of envelopes fell from the back of her clipboard. “Oops! Sorry—!”

Cloud bent over to help pick them up, and as he handed her the carefully sealed envelopes, her muzzle twisted in horror. “Oh no, these are  _ invitations!  _ These ones didn’t get sent out!”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Cloud found himself reassuring, watching her frantically shuffle through them. “I mean, I got invited pretty late last time…”

“Don’t be troubled,” a deep voice said above them both.

Ganondorf watched the scene, and his pure stature caused Cloud to rise back up, keeping one eye on Isabelle. “Maybe Master Hand put them in the back on purpose,” he continued. “I wouldn’t worry.”

Isabelle wasn’t intimidated in the slightest. “Okay, if you say so, Mr. Ganondorf!” she replied cheerfully. “I’ll just get these out as fast as possible!”

Ganondorf chuckled under his breath. “Off you go.”

Link finally stepped beside Cloud, signing sternly.  _ “You’re not up to something, are you?” _

Ganondorf caught the motions, but kept his hands laced behind his back. “Perish the thought,” he replied, clicking his tongue. “Always so suspicious.”

_ He’s got some reason to be,  _ Cloud thought, but kept it to himself.  _ You don’t just get to be buddy-buddy with a nemesis from your own world overnight. Though it has been quite a while… _

Ganondorf surveyed the steadily building crowd. “There are more,” he said. “Some who are returning. Others, their first time. A lot more…villains, so to speak.”

“Villains?” Cloud asked.

He followed Ganondorf’s gaze. He spotted a large alligator wearing a crown, jeering down at Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong. “Ah.”

“Things are about to get interesting,” Ganondorf remarked with a quiet laugh. “With the new recreational rooms, and the new fighters…very interesting.”

Across the hall, something appeared to catch Ganondorf’s eye. “Excuse me,” he muttered, and then disappeared in the crowd.

“Odd,” Cloud sighed, then touched Link’s back. “Are you okay?”

He nodded, composing himself with a short, quick sigh. He offered a half-hearted smile for Cloud to further reassure, and he…almost believed it. “Yeah,” Cloud said, “if I knew that Sephiroth was around here, I’d be nervous too.”  _ That’s complicated, though.  _

_ Did I…idolize him? Did I hate him? _

_ (were you him?) _

The couple took just one step forward, trying to mingle into the fray, but people kept crossing in their way. First was Pit, buzzing around at light speed (“Has anyone seen Lady Palutena? Anybody?”), then Pikachu and a smaller, similar creature that Cloud did not recognize grazed past their feet. “Ack!” he exclaimed.

Link lingered close to his ear. “We need to find a place to sit,” he whispered. “So people can find us.”

It was difficult for Cloud to admit that hearing Link’s quiet voice in his ear still gave him goosebumps. “Yeah, well it’d better be quick,” he grumbled. “‘Cause all this hullabaloo is starting to give me a headache.” 

_ “FATHER!”  _

A voice that belonged to none other than Lucina pierced the foyer, causing the noise to die down. She sprinted through the sea of people, in complete armor, with Samus following a couple paces behind in her pink zero suit. “Oh?” Link said.

Lucina’s target was the most handsome man in the room--a tall, muscular build, with armor showing off his biceps. A peculiar insignia was tattooed on his right arm, while his left had a pauldron and a cape covering the side of it. He stood tall, and his navy eyes welled with joy as soon as he saw Lucina running toward him. “Lucina? Is that really you?”

“Yes, yes, it’s me!” she cheered, and jumped into his arms without hesitation. “You’re finally here!”

He caught her and swung her around, laughing. “I am! I finally got my chance!” he exclaimed. “Oh, I missed you, my little girl.” 

“I missed you too!” 

He squeezed her tight, and during their embrace, Link began to lead the way over to them as conversation picked up around them. “This is so wonderful! I’m so excited!” Lucina gushed, constantly in motion as soon as her father released her. She bounced on her toes, hair flowing, and when she spotted Samus behind her, she yanked her forward. “Oh, Dad, this is my girlfriend, Samus!” 

“Ah! What a pleasure!” he said, and thrust out his hand. “You can call me Chrom. Or Dad, whatever you want!” 

Being put on the spot, Samus still gave a firm handshake, but her face was glowing pink. “Ah, sure,” she said. “I’ll…keep that in mind.” 

Chrom still had to look up to meet Samus’ eye, but he beamed nonetheless. “I’m sure you’re taking good care of my daughter,” he said. “Wow, there sure are a lot of folks here, huh, kiddo?” 

“Yes! I’ve made so many friends!” Lucina said. Cloud wasn’t sure if he had ever seen her with so much energy. As he was thinking this, he caught her eye, and she pointed at them. “Oh, there are two more of my friends! The one with the spikey hair is--”

_ Well, might as well.  _ Cloud huffed to himself and strode forward. “I’m Cloud. Cloud Strife,” he said, shaking Chrom’s hand. “And my partner, Link.” 

“Link? Oh!” Chrom’s face lit up even further, if it was possible. “I’ve heard about you! You have quite the resume, sport!”

_ Sport?  _ Cloud thought, while Link chuckled with amusement and a bashful handwave. 

“No, really! Your reputation precedes you! I can’t wait to clash swords with you on the battlefield!” He gave another hearty laugh, then scanned the room. “Say, sweetie, where’s your mom?”

He patted Lucina’s back, but she froze in place. “Huh?” she uttered.

“She’s here, I know she is,” he said. “You know, I was supporting her through her toughest battles!”

Helplessly, she glanced at the group, hoping for some kind of advice.  _ Sorry, I’ve got nothing,  _ Cloud thought, conveying it on his face. A similar blank look appeared on the others, while Samus conveyed more sympathy.

“What’s her name?” Samus asked.

“Robin,” he replied, although a worry wrinkle crept into his brow. “She’s here, right? Where is my wife?”

Samus nodded deeply, then held a finger up. “One sec,” she said. She turned on one heel and disappeared into the crowd.

Cloud signed to Link towards the ground, keeping an eye that Chrom wasn’t watching.  _ “This is one of those different worlds things, isn’t it?” _

Link nodded an affirmative.  _ “This is a new kind of weird,”  _ he signed.  _ “He knows our world, but not about some of the details.” _

“Don’t worry, Daddy,” Lucina assured, a little frantic. “We’ll get it all straightened out. There’s a lot of people here, after all!”

“I guess maybe,” Chrom said. “I heard there were 74 of us?”

Link gasped and signed  _ “Really?”  _ with such a big gesture and bewildered expression, that Cloud couldn’t help but snort out loud. “Th-That does seem like a lot,” Cloud remarked.

Link gestured to himself, then made a “1” and a “2” with his fingers in the air. Then, he compressed his hands into a ball, then blew them out as if they were a balloon, stretching his arms out to his sides. “Ooh, let me try,” Lucina said, clapping her hands together. “I think he says that there were only twelve people here when he first arrived, so at the beginning. It’s really blown up since then!”

Link thrust his arm into a thumbs up.  _ The one thing about being around him all the time with new people,  _ Cloud thought with a sigh of relief,  _ is that I have to be his interpreter. Which is fine, but I think Zelda enjoyed the whole “speaking for him” thing a little better. If it were up to me, I'd be a "strong and silent" type, too…but, that's not how things panned out, did they?  _

“I see,” Chrom replied with a kind smile. “Not much of a talker?”

Link shook his head with a thin lipped smile.  _ No matter how good natured the person, it’s gotta get tiring to hear that question.  _ Cloud cleared his throat. “He uses sign language. There are a bunch of us here that learned.” He started to sign and speak at the same time. “It’s basically talking with your hands.”

“Wow! Impressive!” Chrom marveled. “That takes quite a bit of skill! You must be a worthy opponent on the battlefield as well!”

“Er, I’m all right,” Cloud muttered, scratching the back of his neck. Link snickered beside him.

“Hey!” Samus’ voice cut through, and her pink suit announced her as she strode through the crowd with another fighter in tow. “I found Robin.”

“Oh, perfect!” Chrom straightened up and smoothed out his armor. “Bring her to me!”

His booming, overly cheerful voice made Cloud flinch. Lucina and Samus exchanged an apprehensive look. “Robin…might be different than you remember,” Lucina said, standing on her toes to mock whisper in his ear.

“No,” Samus corrected deliberately, with a stern look. “Robin  _ will  _ be different than he remembers—c’mon.”

Samus grabbed Robin by the arm and swung him in front of her, parking him right in front of Chrom. He stumbled, then smoothed out his robes. Upon seeing him, he grinned. “Oh, terrific!” he exclaimed. “Chrom!”

The tension between Cloud, Link, Samus, and Lucina was as taut as an overstretched rubber band. Chrom studied his former tactician, still a half a head taller than him. “Robin?” he asked. “You look…different.”

Robin looked down at his robes, then mustered a smile. “I guess I am different,” he replied. “Not too bad though, is it?”

Chrom’s mouth gaped just enough to notice, looking him over. Then, he straightened his shoulders. “Of course not!” he said. “Not at all.”

Robin’s eyes flicked to Lucina, and he gave her a near imperceptible wink. Cloud caught it as well. “It’s still so good to have you here!” Robin said, and rushed forward to give Chrom a quick, tight hug, accompanied by a couple pats on the back. “We can fight side by side again.”

A faint tinge of pink rose in Chrom’s cheeks. Cloud felt Link tense beside him, but when he glanced over, he saw it was because he was biting back a smile. “Yes…yes!” Chrom said. “Y-yes.” 

A quiet moment passed as Chrom and Robin stared at each other, but it was broken by Samus clapping her hands together. “I’m gonna go look around some more,” she said. “I feel like I haven’t seen everything yet.”    


She made eye contact with Cloud and Link at the same time, and Cloud nodded, taking the hint. “Yeah, us too,” he agreed. “C’mon, hon--ah…” 

The endearment tripped through his lips before he could fully stop it. In a terrible effort to save face, he simply looked down and dragged Link the other way through the crowd. In a giddy scene, Link skipped ahead of him, squeezing his hand tight before letting go so he could sign.  _ “What was that?”  _ he signed, movements tight around his face. 

“Stop it…!” Cloud hissed, feeling his face grow hot. “I-I just…” 

_ “Baby.”  _ Link made an effort to draw out the endearment. 

“L-Link!” His eyes darted around as his face reached an egg-frying temperature. “Don’t, stop, you…you’re making a scene!” 

While he did look acknowledge the attention they were beginning to garner, and Cloud somewhat appreciated that, it didn’t stop Link from stepping forward and slipping his arms around his waist. He knocked his forehead gently against his, grinning from ear to ear. “Maybe I want to,” he whispered. “Just a little.” 

Cloud felt dizzy. Very suddenly, Link was the only person in the room.  “O…oh…”

The moment didn’t last, for as they brushed noses, long nails scratched the top of Cloud’s hair. “Now, now, take it easy, boys,” said Bayonetta. “You can save that for the battlefield.” 

Cloud jerked his head up, and while he tried to step away from Link, he was firm about keeping him where he was, and Cloud found he had little in him to resist. He couldn’t hide much from Bayonetta’s cunning, knowing smile. “Well…when are things opening up?” Cloud mumbled. His eyes wandered behind her, where Ryu, Sonic, and a muscular blond man in a red outfit similar to Ryu’s were performing some kind of elaborate, three way secret handshake. “Should be soon, right?”

“Oh yes, very,” she said. “Even Mario’s around somewhere, which I hear is unusual. They say that some parts of the mansion are completely rebuilt…including the assist room.” 

Link perked his head up at that, and Bayonetta chuckled. “Oh yes, no more dimensional rifts, as far as I’ve heard,” she remarked, folding her arms. “While that’s settled, some boys running around with whips keep going on about ‘spirits’ haunting the mansion—“

“Spirits?” Cloud interrupted. “Like ghosts?”

“I suppose. How could they tell, though, they’ve only been here a morning!” She shrugged and pulled a lollipop from seemingly nowhere. “Anything goes around here.”

_ That’s true,  _ Cloud thought. Link was drumming his fingers against his waist, and Cloud finally relaxed his shoulders and reached down to cup Link’s elbows.  _ Anything goes. _

Bayonetta chuckled. “Well, you two seem to be doing well, with your little makeovers,” she remarked. “A little more hair to pull never hurt anyone.”

“Um,” Cloud sputtered. Link’s hands flinched enough for him to feel, and he swore he could hear a repressed exclamation.  _ That’s…all right. Okay.  _

_ (straddling him from behind, raking your hands through his hair and pulling, just enough to hear him sigh—) _

_ Okay! That’s enough!  _ Cloud bit the inside of his cheek.  _ It’s before noon! That’s fine! _

She winked. “Even Samus is sporting a lovely new set of blue and black armor. Always in style.”

Link withdrew from Cloud to wave his hands, question scrawled over his face. He shook his head and signed:  _ “She’s not wearing her armor?” _

“Hm?”

“Yeah, we  _ just  _ saw her, she’s in her, uh…” Cloud searched for the words. “Her Zero Suit? A red one…”

_ “Pink,”  _ Link signed.

“Okay, pink.”

Bayonetta raised an eyebrow and tapped her lollipop against her lips. “How curious,” she said.

* * *

 

“And  _ that _ ,” Samus said, twirling her electric whip and snapping it at her side. “Is how you crack a whip.”

With open mouths, the Belmonts stared in awe. “Incredible form!” Simon exclaimed. “You’re a natural!”

“Yes, a true connoisseur!” Richter added. “You could be a Belmont yourself!”

“I don’t think so,” Samus refuted, pocketing her whip away. “I’m from…well, very far away.”

Lucina fidgeted beside her. “Samus, we’re gonna get in trouble for fighting in the lobby!” 

“Hey, we’re fine, we’re all done here,” she assured, and gave a salute. “Glad to meet you both, but we’ve got to get moving.”

“Hey, wait!” Richter said, pulling out a flyer from his belt. “We’re trying to round up a group to communicate with the spirits in this mansion. You’d be perfect!”

Samus squinted at him, mouth twisted. “Sorry, I’m not about ghost hunts,” she replied flatly. “This place ain’t  _ that  _ far gone yet.”

“Aw, wait! It’s true though! Hey!”

But Samus had already grabbed Lucinda’s hand and headed down the hallway, through to the east side of the foyer. “Whew,” Samus sighed. “There’s a lot going on.”

“Yeah,” Lucina agreed. She had to keep skipping steps to keep up with Samus’ strides. “When do you think they’ll open up the battlefields?”

“Anytime now. Mario will call a meeting, formally introduce everyone, then it’s ‘let the games begin.’”

Lucina giggled, and skipped a little higher. “I’m so excited to fight! I’m eager to face all the new challengers, and learn their techniques!”

Samus grinned. “You are so cute. You’re so cute, I’m going to take you back to my room and eat you up.” 

She swooped down on Lucina and hugged her from the side, kissing her head. Lucina squealed and squirmed, stutter-stepping just to keep her balance. Samus ducked and muttered in her ear. “And I mean it, too.” 

“Oh…!” Lucina gasped. “Well, what about Zelda--”

“I’ll put the sign up on the doorknob,” Samus replied. She stretched and returned her attention forward. “Besides…” 

Samus stopped in her tracks. They had wandered past through the foyer to a darkened, empty hallway. At least, it  _ seemed _ abandoned--there were reflections ahead from the light behind them, still figures in the dark. “Samus?” Lucina asked. 

“Do you see that?” she whispered. “Ahead…” 

Lucina squinted. “Oh, I do.” She took a deep breath and spoke loudly. “Hello--”

_ “Shh,”  _ Samus hushed immediately, covering her mouth. Adrenaline pumped through her, making her heart race. “You stay here.” 

“What?” 

“I had a feeling,” Samus muttered, reaching back for her electric whip. “I had a bad feeling last night, and even after everyone…after seeing everyone, it still was there. Deep in my chest.”

She swallowed hard, then took careful, steady steps toward the figures.  _ Who are you? Why are you just…waiting there? Are you waiting for me?  _ As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she could make out an outline of the one closest to her. A familiar one, if only because it was something she often saw

in a mirror. 

The figure wore a space suit strikingly similar to her own, the shield down over its face. In the dim light, it was difficult to make out colors, but they seemed darker than the bold orange and red of hers. “What’s this about,” she breathed. She first approached at a battle ready crouch, but as soon as she was close enough, she straightened herself to her full height. “What…who are you?” 

The figure said nothing. A heavy, labored breathing sound came from deep inside the suit--in, and out. In, and out. Rhythmic. Deliberate. Too deliberate. It made Samus hold her breath. The sound of her own heartbeat pulsed in her ears, but she still stood tall, narrowing her deep blue eyes. 

“Show yourself,” she said. “Show your face.” 

The figure stopped breathing. With the sound of scraping metal against plastic, the shield of the helmet slowly raised up to reveal the face inside. A pair of magenta eyes began to glow back at her. Beneath the glow, she could barely make out facial features--a nose that was too flat, cheekbones that were too sharp, a mouth that was too wide, especially

when it opened

and revealed a dozen rows of sharp, sharp  _ teeth.  _

“Oh, Gods,” Samus whispered, trembling as her stomach dropped. “Oh, shit.” 

“Samus? Samus!” Lucina’s voice was very far away, further than she remembered leaving it behind. Her feet felt glued to the floor as she stared at the  _ thing  _ in front of her, the thing that seemed to impersonate her but was absolutely, completely  _ not  _ her, something absolutely  _ alien  _ and  _ unsettling  _ to her very core.

And then, Lucina’s voice reached a shrill peak.  _ “SAMUS, ABOVE YOU--!”  _

Slowly, Samus tipped her head up, and up, and  _ up.  _ Beady yellow eyes stared down at her, accompanied by a pterodactyl-like head, huge webbed wings, and a pair of enormous clawed hands. It opened its maw and hissed, wordless, but menacing all the same. 

All of the blood drained from Samus’ face. “You,” she growled. “You’re the one I’ve had such…such a bad, bad fucking feeling about.” She reached behind her back to grab her whip.  _ “Ridley.”  _

Ridley hissed a growling, shuddering laugh--it wasn’t loud, but it still shook her to her very toes.  _ I’m terrified,  _ she thought, holding her ground.  _ Of course, I would never get any friends in this place. I get the monster who murdered my parents, and some messed up doppleganger. It’s been a long, long time.  _

“Samus?!” Lucina shouted again. “I’m getting help!” 

“Don’t!” Samus called back, still staring up at Ridley. “Listen, you.” 

The laughter stopped, and was replaced by a grating voice.  _ “I’m listening.” _

“You think you can just show up here and fight me,” she said. “The truth is, you can. But around here, everyone’s on the same level. Same playing field. Therefore…” 

She cracked her whip at her side, sparkling electricity, and smirked. “…Anything goes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I haven't posted much writing in about a year--I've been dabbling in some personal stuff, but the radar's been pretty silent lately. This gets silly in places, and I do a lot of exploring with other characters. Thanks for reading though! SUPER FUCKING SMASH BROTHERS


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